Help please... F150 owner really needs help
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Joined: May 2009
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Help please... F150 owner really needs help
I have an '06 with 5.4, 4 wheel drive, came with the tow package
I was towing my 33 foot travel trailer between <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
</st1:City>Knoxville and <st1:City w:st="on">Bristol</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:State>. Very hilly interstate. I was driving up a rather large hill and began hearing a noise under the hood. It was a metallic grinding sound. My daughter said it sounded like thousands of ball bearings being dropped on tin. I could feel a rattling under my feet. At first I though something had caught underneath. I pulled of the highway for a look-see. Nothing appeared un-normal....Pulled back on the highway and the noise continued, but ONLY while the engine was under load and only when my speed was above 20 MPH.
I thought, Oh, I know what this is. I lost a motor mount in my 1970 Dodge Charger 440 when I was in high school..... about 34 years ago... LOL
<O
</O
I though I had better let the professional handle this job. I didn’t know if I could just put a 2x4 under the oil pan and jack up the motor with a hydraulic jack like I did on my charger to change a mount our not.
<O</O
Mechanic call to let me know that the mounts looked fine. There were no scratches on the fan shroud and the fan blades looked fine. He drove it and it failed to make that noise... (of course!!! )
<O</O
Well, it is still making a terrible racket, but only on hills, when the motor is under load and my speed is above 20 MPH like I stated earlier.
All gauges look fine. Engine seems fine. Transmission is OK. When I force a downshift, the noise goes away. When I let off of the accelerator, the noise goes away immediately. It seem like I might be experiencing some power loss when I hear the noise, but I'm not sure.. could be psychological thing since I hate that noise. LOL
I've been driving the truck for a couple days (this happened on Sunday) almost hoping something would fall off the truck so I'd know what the sam hill is wrong with the thing.
My truck is operating normally except for the metallic grinding god-awful noise it makes sometimes... almost like I was dragging a large piece of sheet metal.
My family is going on vacation beginning May 25th. We are towing our camper with this truck that is making all the noise... about 600 miles. Not much time if I have to order parts and have them delivered. I still don't know what is wrong.
Anyone have any ideas? Or recommendation for me to troubleshoot the problem? Do I need to take it in to a mechanic and just eat the cost to let him troubleshoot. My warrantee is off.
Thank-you everyone for your help.
Craig Bryant
<st1:City w:st="on">Bristol</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:State>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region>
I was towing my 33 foot travel trailer between <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
I thought, Oh, I know what this is. I lost a motor mount in my 1970 Dodge Charger 440 when I was in high school..... about 34 years ago... LOL
<O
</OI though I had better let the professional handle this job. I didn’t know if I could just put a 2x4 under the oil pan and jack up the motor with a hydraulic jack like I did on my charger to change a mount our not.
<O
</OMechanic call to let me know that the mounts looked fine. There were no scratches on the fan shroud and the fan blades looked fine. He drove it and it failed to make that noise... (of course!!! )
<O
</OWell, it is still making a terrible racket, but only on hills, when the motor is under load and my speed is above 20 MPH like I stated earlier.
All gauges look fine. Engine seems fine. Transmission is OK. When I force a downshift, the noise goes away. When I let off of the accelerator, the noise goes away immediately. It seem like I might be experiencing some power loss when I hear the noise, but I'm not sure.. could be psychological thing since I hate that noise. LOL
I've been driving the truck for a couple days (this happened on Sunday) almost hoping something would fall off the truck so I'd know what the sam hill is wrong with the thing.
My truck is operating normally except for the metallic grinding god-awful noise it makes sometimes... almost like I was dragging a large piece of sheet metal.
My family is going on vacation beginning May 25th. We are towing our camper with this truck that is making all the noise... about 600 miles. Not much time if I have to order parts and have them delivered. I still don't know what is wrong.
Anyone have any ideas? Or recommendation for me to troubleshoot the problem? Do I need to take it in to a mechanic and just eat the cost to let him troubleshoot. My warrantee is off.
Thank-you everyone for your help.
Craig Bryant
<st1:City w:st="on">Bristol</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:State>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region>
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 554
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From: Newport, Wa.
It sounds like the front hubs are trying to engage. They are held out of engagement by vacuum. When you are pulling a load up a grade your engine looses vacuum. There is a vacuum storage unit that's part of the circuit for the front hubs. Have your mechanic check it for leak-down. You can prove this by putting your truck in 4wd while it's making the noise. That will fully engage the hubs and the noise should go away.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
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Well OldGuy, that was it. My birthday is Sunday (I'll be 55) and my wife and daughter took me out for dinner. I was going up a hill, the noise began driving me nuts, I shifted into 4WD and the noise stopped immediately.
Now, how do I fix this?
Can I.. ? Or do I have to take it in???
Thanks OldGuy,
Craig
Now, how do I fix this?
Can I.. ? Or do I have to take it in???
Thanks OldGuy,
Craig
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VFR is the greatest bike in the world....
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MMNC (SS)(Ret)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 11,604
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From: SE Georgia
this is something you can try to fix yourself for under $20
there is a vacuum solenoid on the firewall towards the right side. It controls whether the IWE (hubs) are engaged, or not.
if this solenoid is bad, you get the problems you are describing.
I suggest you visit your local Ford parts Department. It's supposedly a $13.00 part. And make sure to get the "Revised" version. The old version is more expensive, and more prone to breaking.
replace that solenoid and tell us how it goes
there is a vacuum solenoid on the firewall towards the right side. It controls whether the IWE (hubs) are engaged, or not.
if this solenoid is bad, you get the problems you are describing.
I suggest you visit your local Ford parts Department. It's supposedly a $13.00 part. And make sure to get the "Revised" version. The old version is more expensive, and more prone to breaking.
replace that solenoid and tell us how it goes
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Thanks all.. I actually found the post OldGuy was describing when I googled IWE problem.. it was on another ford f150 list.... they went into detail on how to trouble shoot and fix the problem...
I appreciate everyone's help.....
Oh, btw, I have an edge evolution programmer. Someone mentioned there are three causes of IWE problems; bad solenoid, vacuum leak, or pmi program error. I instructed my programmer to reinstall my original program this morning and guess what? no noise... LOL For some reason, pmi programming seems to loose code every once in awhile..... I don't understand it.. and I'm a computer weeney....LOL.... but I think I fixed my problem for 0$.... I'lll let you know later when I drive a bit further....
I appreciate everyone's help.....
Oh, btw, I have an edge evolution programmer. Someone mentioned there are three causes of IWE problems; bad solenoid, vacuum leak, or pmi program error. I instructed my programmer to reinstall my original program this morning and guess what? no noise... LOL For some reason, pmi programming seems to loose code every once in awhile..... I don't understand it.. and I'm a computer weeney....LOL.... but I think I fixed my problem for 0$.... I'lll let you know later when I drive a bit further....
MMNC (SS)(Ret)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 11,604
Likes: 149
From: SE Georgia
it may not be your tuner exactly as the culprit...but instead the tune itself. The tune might be causing the engine to run a bit low on the vacuum side...and with less vacuum, the IWE are gonna try to engage
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 554
Likes: 1
From: Newport, Wa.
Happy Birthday, and glad you have either found the problem for good, or at least your on track to fix it.